1.The Complainant alleges that sometime in the second quarter of 1998 there was an international armed conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia that led to the beginning of active hostilities between the two countries.

2.During this period it is alleged by the Complainant that thousands of persons of Ethiopian nationality were expelled from Eritrea, either directly or constructively by the creation of conditions in which they had no choice other than to leave Eritrea. In particular, over 2,500 were forcibly expelled and dumped at the border where there was ferocious fighting and heavily infested with anti-personnel land mines.

3. It is also alleged that between June 1998 and July 1999, more than sixty one thousand people of Eritrean ethnic descent who are legal residents or citizens of Ethiopia were deported from Ethiopia. Most of these are urban deportees.

[The Commission decided to suspend consideration of the communications, awaiting the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Claims Commission]